Knife, fork, and spoon set



April 20, 1948. L R. R.*BEDDOW *2,439,882

KNIFE, FORK, AND sPooN SET Filed April 1,1946 v INVENTOR.

1 nwwdRE/eddaw Patented Apr. 20, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE KNIFE, FORK, AND sPooN- sE'r Raymond R. Beddow, Toledo, Ohio Application April 1, 194s, serial No. 658,832

(Cl. sil- 147) 6 Claims. l

This invention relatesto a device for packaging a set of eating utensils and particularly to a fork, knife and spoon holder forming a part of a new and improved container for holding av fork, knife and spoon in a manner which militates against their relative movement, separation, loss or impairment in view of the rigidity with which they are held in the assembled posi tion.

Another object is to produce a knife handle attachable jacket in which the nested fork 'and spoon having tapered handles, may be readily mounted to comprise a neat and compact package. Tensioning means are provided for wedging the inserted utensils thereby substantally to eliminate rattling noises and uncontrolled movements of the utensils resulting from the vibrations or jars incident to travel.

A further object is to produce a case readily formed from a strip of sheet metal, plastics or other formable materials which may be attached to the handle of a knife to comprise a jacket in which the other eating 4utensils may be readily mounted during their non-use forming an attractive, low cost and useful addition to the equipment 0f a camper, traveler or military personnel.

Other objects and advantages olf the invention will become evident from the following de-` scription, and for purposes of illustration but not of limitation, embodiments of the invention are.

shown on the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a case attached to the handle of a knife and holding a nested fork and spoon;

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view of the holder and attaching means showing the fork and spoon in the mounting and mounted position;

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view taken sub-v stantially along the line 3- 3 of Figure 1;

yFigure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view of another form of the holder;

' Figure 5 is a sectional view of the case illustrated in Figure 1, but secured to the knilfe hani "55 :the span between the ends of their respective contained in the kit, and in addition, the vibrations and jars incident to travel cause the metallic elements repeatedly to contact each other producing bothersome rattling noises as well as impairing. the finish of the -metallic elements. It is, therefore, expedient to provide a, case I Il with which the knife I I, fork I2 and spoon I3 may be rigidly packaged during non-use vto militate against their loss or impairment, as Well as to dispose the sharp edges or tines of the utensils in a manner which prevents damage to adjacent articles. In the illustrated embodiment of this invention, use is made of forks and spoons having tapered handles, such as to form a neck portion adjacent the bowl and an outwardly tapering portion adjacent thereto. It is to be understood that handles tapered from the end may also be used as will be hereinafter explained.

The ca'se I0 is easily formed, as by folding, from a rectangular strip of sheet metal, plastics, or other rigid but resilient materials. The strip is folded to comprise a substantially rectangular open end cylinder having side walls I4 and I5, a front wall I6 and a rear wall I'I formed by the lateral edge portions which do not meet, thus to form an intermediate intervening slot 20.

Since the substantially rectangular case I0 is of a contour which fits comfortably into the grasp of a hand, it is convenient to attach the case I0 with the handle 2l of the knife II thereafter to comprise a part of the knife handle. In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures 1 to 3, a length of Wire 22 is tightly coiled about the knife handle 2I juxtaposed to the front Wall I6 of the case I0 combining them into a unitary structure subsequently to be used as such.

A pair of aligned openings 23 in the upper rearward portion of the side Walls I4 and I5 receive l hooked ends 24 and 25 on opposite ends of a wire spring clasp 26. As viewed in Figures 1 and 2, the

`clasp 26 comprises a pair of laterally spaced V- shaped sections 25.

Integrally connecting the upper rearwardly extending legs 26' is a horizontally disposed cross-arm 2;'I,vthe lower legs 28 each being integrally attached to their respective hooked ends 24 and 25 by means of laterally extending arms 29 and-30 and intermediate curvilinear portions 3| and 32 which are contoured in a manner enabling the wire clasp to be rocked .about the registered hooked ends.

In the position of non-use, the spaced V-shaped sections 25 are angularly disposed so that the span between the apices 32 is slightly less than legs. In addition, the V-shaped members are laterally spaced so that the span between the apices 32 is greater than the width at the neck of the insertable utensils but less than the width of adjacent handle portions.

In use, the wire clasp 26 is pivoted about its hook flanges to the rearward position as illustrated by the broken lines in Figure 2. The cleaned fork l2 and spoon I3 are thenl inserted handle iirst into the oase until the narrowneck portion lies within the rswinging are 'or the apices 32. The position of the fork and spoon at this point is illustrated by the broken lines in Figure 2. The wire clasp 26 is then rocked to its upright position until the cross arm 21 is stopped by the back of the rearmost utensil, at which time the V-shaped sections substantially -fitfabout .theside walls oi the fork and spoon. Subsequent movement of the enclosed fork and spoon effects the engagement between the wider handle portions and the Veshaped members flexing :same `in the outward direction, as by a wedging -action, whereby the V-shaped members ,tensionalfly g-rasp the 'enclosed utensils. In this manner, the knife and fork are positively -held'until external 4forces are applied to lower the'utensils relieving the tensioned wire Aclasp so that Tit can be rocked away Yfrom the upper opening enabling the utensils to be removed.

The embodiment `of vthe invention .ilustrated on .Figure is essentially the same asthat previously described, :the difference residing in the means by which the case lila is `secured 'to the vknife vhandle 2in. 'In this instance., the wire coil 22 .is replaced Iby a'par of yrivets `S'wl'iich rigidly nand `substantially permanently `secure the case ma Ato Athe `handle Il'a.

Another form of the invention, illustrated in Figure 2l, comprises a fcaselbfsimilar to that previously described and'iattachable to the knife handle 'in any'suitable manner. Modification resides in the 4means fory wedging the fork Aand spoon in the :packaged position. In this instance. a pair of spaced horizontal rprongs 34 andf35 are reciprocablyslidable'in apertures 3G and-31 'the rear wall 11b of the oase. The -ends extending beyond the -rear'wallfare integrallyiconnected by a horizontal arm SIL-thus tolcomprisera '=Ushaped spring Wire kclasp 39, the :innerfends of 'whichare flanged at 40 to .prevent-thefremoval of the clasp Yfromithe case b.

Thespan between the .prongs "34 land 35 is ararnged to vbe greater than l'the width ofthe `utensils at their neck portion, but less than kthe 'width of their 'adjacent handle portions, Thus, in use 'the clasp is slidablyfdisplacedto the Vrearward position of adjustment 4as illustrated by the broken lines in Figure4, `freeing the upper-fopen- Ving 'of the case IBb 'for free access `thereto. The fork `and spoon are inserted, fhandleiirst, the narrow neck .portions `are .in .alignment Ywith thelprongs of the -.wire clasp. Thefclasp 'is .then 'manually forwardly displaced until .the 'langed ends 40 abut theinne'riwall fof the rfront wall 16o 'of the case. Subsequent lmovement of 'the enclosed utensils v5in the upward direction .effects engagement between the :handle `portions of `greater width and 'the'.reSilientprOngS, iiexing them outwardly. Thus 'tensioning forces 1are created which Vhold 'the @engaged utensils -in the mounted position -and also lprevent subsequent movement of the wire clasp. 'The'packaged posi- `tion -is .readily Vmaintained funtil external `forces @are'applied to modify thearrangement. v

Still .another form rorwvrrercl'asp 41 `suitalcle'ffor use with cases of the type described, is illustrated in Figure 6. In this instance, a nU-shaped spring wire member 4I is pivotally mounted in a bearing sleeve 43 secured to an upper intermediate edge of the tube Wall |6c. The cross arm 44 of the U- shaped member is substantially entirely enclosed by the sleeve 43, the outwardly extending arms 45 and 46 being curvilinear having their ends extending in the direction towards each other. Thev span between the arm ends `is selected to be greater than the width of the Vneck portion oi the insertable utensils, but less than the width of the adjacent handle portions.

Thus the `arms 45 and 46 may be pivoted in the upward direction freeing the upper opening for insertion of the cleaned utensils therethrough. When the utensils have been lowered to the point where 'the' neckportions are within the arc of the "wi-re clasp 4I, the latter is rocked to the horizontal position substantially enclosing the utensil handles. Subsequent movement of the utensils in the upward direction effects the engagement between the utensil handle portion of greater' width `with wthe arms of :the unire clasp 4l exing same in the outward direction, thus to generate holding forces such as .previously rlescribed in connection with the other embodiments.

Description lhas been made to a jacket having a spring clasp adapted to hold za rfork .and spoon. It is "to -be understood Athat other utensils may be substituted therefor and that additional i-mplements having the .desired :handle contour .may be :readily ypackaged in -the container described.

Itis manifest that lIfhave produced anexceedingly simple ,jacket for .attachmentzon to `a knife handle for packaging other eating implements .in -a manner which veliminates rattling noises, loss kor damage to the utensils `during 'transportation ,from place yto place. The 'low cost Vdevice provides a neat and compact addition to the kit of a camper -or soldier .and infview of its Vforming a part of the knife handle, .the items comprising vthe vpack yequipment fare thereby .not increased.

It is to 4be understood that other `changes :in details of construction, arrangement :and operation vmaybe eiectedwithout departing `from fthe spirit of the invention especially :as defined vin the appended claims.

What I vclaim isz l. A holder `for `forks and spoons having tapered Ihandles comprising an elongate tube vhav- .ing lopen ends and adapted to be attached `to the handle of .a table knife and receive a nested fork-and speen, and -means Aon said tube .adapted to lit-the narrow :portions of -.the fork andspoen handles and to Wedge against .the `wider portions of suchhandles lupontheir relativeshiiting-movevment with the tube.

`2. A `holder for yforks .and spoons having `tapered handles comprising a substantially rectangular open-endtube-olded from -a sheet metal strip and adapted to .be lattaclied to :the handle 'of a table ,knit-aand means-"on said 1tube .adapted to t the narrow portion -of the :fork and .spoon vested =in -theftube and -to .Wedge l against thewider portionsof suchhandlesupon their relativeshifting movement with the tube,

3..A holder for forks `and rspoons having taperedihandles yeomprisingia sheetmetal'tube having :an .fopen :end andfadapted :to receive .-'a mested 'fork and spoon, means attaching said Ito Athe handle ofa table k-niie, land .fmeans onsaid tube movable between v'two positions of adjust- 'Inenteadaptcd fin one.'.p'ositi'orr` to fre'ethe :openf end of the tube and in the other position to t over the narrow portion of the nested fork and spoon handles and to Wedge against the wider portions of such handles upon their relative shifting movement with the tube.

4. A holder as claimed in claim 3, in which the movable Wedging means comprises a spring wire clasp pivotally mounted in the upper portion of the tube, and having spaced V-shaped members adapted in the other position of adjustment to t about the narrow portion of nested fork and spoon handles and t0 be flexed in response to the wedging action of the wider portion of such handles upon their relative shifting movement with the tube.

5. A holder as claimed in claim 3, in which the movable wedging means comprises a U- shaped member slidable transversely through spaced openings in one Wall of the tube and having the free arms extending transversely of the RAYMOND R. BEDDOW.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the iile of this patent:

FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Germany June 22, 1938 Number 

